Tag Archives: Panel Discussion

John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York Saturday, 5/30/15 at 12:00PM — 1:50PM in Room 1.105

Abstract: Congressman Vito Marcantonio (1934 to 1950): Champion for Civil Rights Vito
Marcantonio, who represented East Harlem for seven terms, from 1934 to 1950, as the sole
Congressman of the American Labor Party, distinguished himself for his effective leadership as a national spokesperson of the Left. Closely allied with the Communist Party, Marcantonio
played major roles defending and advancing the progressive agenda.

This panel is devoted to Marcantonio’s extraordinary work in the fight for civil rights, both in
Congress and in his political work.

Specific aspects of his heroic efforts include: sponsoring legislation to abolish the poll tax,
recognize lynching as a federal crime, and enact the Federal Fair Employment Act as well as his fight
to integrate the blood banks and his support for the postwar petition to the United Nations charging the United States government with genocide against the African-American people.

The panel will also look at his work to aid individual African-American constituents. Lastly, the panel will analyze how Marc’s political and rhetorical style contributed to a long series of successes that were achieved, most often, under highly unfavorable circumstances. Panelists include: Dr. Gerald Meyer, Co‐Founder and Co‐Chair Vito Marcantonio Forum Roberto Ragone, Co‐Founder and Co‐Chair Vito Marcantonio Forum Gil Fagiani, (Speaker and Moderator), Founding Member of the Vito Marcantonio Forum

Left Forum is the largest annual conference of the broad Left in the United States. Each spring thousands of conference participants come together to discuss pressing local, national and global issues; to better understand commonalities and differences, and alternatives to current predicaments; or to share ideas to help build social movements to transform the world.

Also note that the following day at the Left Forum, Sunday, May 31 @ 3:40 PM, Room 1.123/Session 7, Gerald Meyer will be a panelist for Marxist Encounters with Anarchism. The event is sponsored by Science & Society.

This year’s theme of Left Forum is

“No Justice, No Peace: Confronting the Crises of Capitalism and Democracy”

This year even features 1,600 Speakers and 420 Panels, Workshops and events